Altin Sencalar, trombonist and a member of Iona’s music faculty, has announced the release of his new album, Unleashed, a collection of jazz pieces and his sixth record as a band leader. The album, which is made up of both original pieces by Sencalar and compositions from artists Behn Gillece, Eric Dolphy, Michael Dease and Sigmund Romberg, is a highlight of the trombonist’s skill as an artist and pushes the boundaries of how he expresses himself. “This album showcases my love for playing at difficult tempos, extended ranges, passages that are unusual for trombone, some extended techniques, and my compositional process, which is now taking a large turn from what I have written in the past,” Sencalar said.
He says that the album is important to him, representing his career accomplishments, but also parts of his life and personality, speaking through his music. Joining Sencalar is a group of extremely talented musicians, with Greg Tardy (Tenor Saxophone and Clarinet), Bruce Williams (Flute, Alto and Soprano Saxophone), Behn Gillece (Vibraphone), Boris Kozlov (Bass), and E.J. Strickland (Drums). Unleashed is full of Sencalar’s emotions and personality, ranging from the fast and energy-filled title track, truly living up to it’s name with the passionate trombone solo that represents Sencalar’s love of the instrument, to slower pieces like “Forgiveness” that make you feel the music and the emotions Sencalar is trying to convey, and finally Sencalar’s reimagining
of existing works, where he makes the pieces his own, and shows that these works are important to him and he connects with them. You can tell Sencalar is passionate about his music, placing emphasis on making every song his own. Latin music is a major influence to Sencalar, evident especially in “Buenaventura,” a piece where the style stands out in a unique way, one that feels very personal to Sencalar. As the album starts with the piece “Unleashed,” with Sencalar’s talent and passion laid out, the album comes to a close with “What’s Next” a piece that brings the musical journey of this project to a close, and represents Sencalar’s look towards new compositional styles for his career. “Many people know me for my Latin and up-tempo swing music. However, on this record, I wanted to make sure to write something that is representative of the music coming out today,” Sencalar said, looking towards the future of his compositions. The first single for Unleashed will be released next month, on Feb. 14, and the second single on March 7. The album will be fully published on March 28, and his official release show is on March 31 at The Django in Manhattan. For more information on Sencalar’s work, visit his website at www.altinsencalarmusic.com.
